After an 1.5 hour drive from Sofia you will come to town of Plovdiv (the European Capital of Culture for 2019), Bulgaria's second biggest city and one of its oldest cities. Within 2-3 hours of walking across the city you will see culture and history behind a 7000-year old settlement, composed by the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Bulgarian civilizations. You can enjoy sightseeing in the Old Town with its museums, historic monuments, revival period homes, lined with souvenir shops cobbled streets or get impressed with the wealthy Ethnographic Museum and the ancient Roman Theater. Feel the atmosphere of the artistic and trade centre and enjoy a lunch in the local restaurants. The amusing combination of customs, culture, and architectural masterpieces are a must-see for each culture - hungry traveler.
Next stop on your way back is the charming town of Koprivshtitsa with its fascinating history and authentic 19 th-century architecture. Spend next few hours at the leisure of the small and picturesque city located in central Bulgaria, spread amongst the slopes of Stara Planina Mountains, that conveys a particular spirit of life and tranquility. Once scene of battles for the liberation of Bulgaria, today the town is turned into museum of the Revival Period of Bulgaria. Here you may visit the homes of some of the most distinguished Bulgarians, authors and rebels, admire the huge collections of ethnographical paintings, such as historical weapons, intricate national costumes and stunning jewelry.